When they see me, they rush to my side, both of them giving me a hug at the same time.
“I love you boys.”
“I love you too, Mom,” Milo says.
As Lev peers up at me with those thoughtful eyes, I wonder what he’s truly thinking.
“Love you,” he says, and I try not to tear up, but fail.
I kneel so I’m eye level with them and rest a hand on each of their shoulders. “You’re brothers now, and I want you to promise me you’ll always look out for each other.”
Milo nods. “Okay, Mom.”
“Good.” I smooth my dress as I rise to my feet, and the boys return to their place while Konstantin steps up and slips my arm through his.
The planner opens the glass doors, and Anton, Emilia, and Mandy step out first. Aleksei and Fiona follow, soft music drifting up as the guests turn their attention to them.
Then come the boys. Milo and Lev step out side by side. In just these short weeks, they’ve built a stronger bond than mostpeople manage in years, spending their afternoons hunched over puzzles together, reading books on the couch with their heads nearly touching, and inventing elaborate games that leave the entire living room scattered with toys. This is what I always wanted. A family who cares about one another.
Beside me, Konstantin peers down. “Are you ready?”
I straighten and force my shoulders to relax. “I think so.”
“You know…” he says after a moment. “Life rarely turns out the way we imagine it will.”
I look up at him as he continues, a faint smile touching his mouth.
“But sometimes, that’s exactly what makes it better.”
Maybe he’s right.
When the music changes, it’s our turn, and together, we step through the doors.
The second I see Kirill standing there, everything else falls away. The guests. The music. Even the nerves that have been twisting inside me all morning.
His eyes find mine instantly, and the way they soften makes everything fall neatly into place.
Konstantin lets out a low chuckle. “I think you made my brother cry.”
“Wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
He smiles. “Didn’t say it was.”
KIRILL
I barely register the music or the guests turning in their seats. All of that fades into the background the second she appears in the doorway, her hand resting lightly on Konstantin’s arm.
And all I can do is stare.
That’s my wife. And I will never take her trust in me for granted.
When they finally reach the altar, I step forward and clasp Konstantin’s shoulder firmly. “Thank you for this.”
He nods once, understanding how much that gesture meant to me.
Sloane’s hand slips into mine, and I kiss the top of it as her grin widens.
“You’re breathtaking, Mrs. Marinova.”
